Battery conditioning

[DM85]

Aside from the charge lost from letting the car condition the battery by running, is there any downside to doing this vs. having it constantly plugged in?

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[kkgg]

One of my neighbors installed a garage heater(for 300$ looks like a big box) and he turns that on before 10-15 min. But I do not think it is worth for my scenario.

 

[RickMachE]

Aside from the charge lost from letting the car condition the battery by running, is there any downside to doing this vs. having it constantly plugged in?

Yes.

Yes, the battery does warm if the car is running. However, it uses a great deal of battery energy to do this. It is more efficient to precondition the battery by setting a departure time and using house current.

 

[RickMachE]

One of my neighbors installed a garage heater(for 300$ looks like a big box) and he turns that on before 10-15 min. But I do not think it is worth for my scenario.

A very expensive way, and in 15 minutes doesn't raise the battery temperature virtually anything.

 

[DM85]

Yes.

Yes, the battery does warm if the car is running. However, it uses a great deal of battery energy to do this. It is more efficient to precondition the battery by setting a departure time and using house current.

so if I’m reading this right the move is keep plugged in and set the departure time?

 

[randomvoice]

Why can't Ford just add a 'precondition' button in the app which only works when the car is charging or above a certain threshold (if their concern is it taking a lot of the battery)? It is so annoying having to set the departure times in the cold to get the battery warm when your schedule isn't pre-defined. Just starting the car doesn't prewarm the battery which is so weird.

 

[RickMachE]

so if I’m reading this right the move is keep plugged in and set the departure time?

Yes.

Running the car warms the cabin, but diverts very little to the battery as compared to a departure time.

 

[kkgg]

A very expensive way, and in 15 minutes doesn't raise the battery temperature virtually anything.

I personally went and it does warm the whole garage including the car. But once garage door is opened all the heat is lost.

 

[RickMachE]

I personally went and it does warm the whole garage including the car. But once garage door is opened all the heat is lost.

Did you measure the BATTERY'S TEMP before and after that short burst of heating? The battery is a huge heat sink. It absorbs all the cold overnight, and doesn't lose that in 15 minutes. That's why a departure time can take 1.3 hours but remote start is done in 0.25 hours or less.

 

[kkgg]

Did you measure the BATTERY'S TEMP before and after that short burst of heating? The battery is a huge heat sink. It absorbs all the cold overnight, and doesn't lose that in 15 minutes. That's why a departure time can take 1.3 hours but remote start is done in 0.25 hours or less.

Did not measure,
but I can say the car is warm to touch, inside and out.

 

[highland58]

In the winter I run a very small heater in the garage - 200 watts I think it is. I place it under the back of the car (I back into the garage), so that the warmth goes under the car, and run it constantly when the weather is cold. It seems to make the entire garage about 10 degrees warmer. I'm not sure how much that might help.

 

[AKgrampy]

Yes.

Yes, the battery does warm if the car is running. However, it uses a great deal of battery energy to do this. It is more efficient to precondition the battery by setting a departure time and using house current.

I am not doubting your reply but am interested if there is any data backing this? If I had a set time to leave I would precondition if parked outside. I have a heated garage so really would gain little in my case but I am interested in what the power use would be between remote starting and preconditioning. I do remote start my car now just so the cabin is warm before rolling out into freezing temps.

 

[RickMachE]

I am not doubting your reply but am interested if there is any data backing this? If I had a set time to leave I would precondition if parked outside. I have a heated garage so really would gain little in my case but I am interested in what the power use would be between remote starting and preconditioning. I do remote start my car now just so the cabin is warm before rolling out into freezing temps.

Back in March I did a departure time. 1:20 minutes it ran, using just under 5kWh. A remote start uses under 1kWh in 10 minutes I believe.

 

[ctenidae]

I personally went and it does warm the whole garage including the car. But once garage door is opened all the heat is lost.

$5 will get you $10 if the battery case is even warm after 15 minutes. No way a garage heater is going to warm up a cold soaked battery pack. I bet your butt would get cold if you sat in the seat and compressed 1/2 an inch of foam.

 

[ThatGuyLando]

Why can't Ford just add a 'precondition' button in the app which only works when the car is charging or above a certain threshold (if their concern is it taking a lot of the battery)? It is so annoying having to set the departure times in the cold to get the battery warm when your schedule isn't pre-defined. Just starting the car doesn't prewarm the battery which is so weird.

Isn't that what the "start" button does? It doesn't fully turn on the car as far as I can tell since it still tells me to press the brake and turn on when I get in.

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